Celebrating Barack Obama

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Editor,

President Obama with Denny Freidenrich.
President Obama with Denny Freidenrich.

Seven years ago this week, a group of my Laguna friends and I hosted a black tie inaugural event the evening Barack Obama first was sworn into office.

While there was deep concern at the time about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the overall health of the U.S. economy, 300 people came to Seven-Degrees that night to celebrate the new president.

Over the years, much has been said about President Obama’s goals and leadership style. Some have even questioned his citizenship and loyalty. What’s most distressing to me, as an American first and a Democrat second, is the nonstop bashing Obama has endured since his first days in office.

One of the attack lines that has been repeated most often, from partisan opponents in Congress to FOX News, is, “He’s a divider-in-chief, not a commander-in-chief.”  Really?

Now that the president has delivered his last State of the Union address, I think it’s time to review just a few of the “divider’s” most recent accomplishments.  For the record, they include:

–  The U.S. economy adding 292,000 jobs in December, capping off the second best year of gains since 1999.

–  The Labor Department reporting the unemployment rate holding steady at 5 percent, the lowest since early 2008.

–  The 5.75 million jobs created in the past two years representing the best streak for the labor market since the late 1990s.

–  The economy adding jobs for 63 straight months.  Some economists expect full employment will be reached by mid-year.

If you don’t believe me, read what conservative columnist David Brooks wrote in the New York Times: “The Obama administration has done things people like me strongly disagree with. But America is in better economic shape than any other major nation on earth. Crime is down. Abortion rates are down. Fourteen million new jobs have been created in five years.

“Obama has championed a liberal agenda, but he hasn’t made the country unrecognizable. In 2008, federal spending accounted for about 20.3 percent of gross domestic product. In 2015, it accounted for about 20.9 percent.”

GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump likes to say he is going to make America great again.  Well, here’s a bulletin for The Donald:  Thanks to Barack Obama, America already is great.

As the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”

I’m glad my Laguna friends and I joined forces to help usher in a new president and a new beginning for our nation.

Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach

 

 

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Celebrating Barack Obama:

    Where to start is the biggest problem, let me follow up on the Daniel Patrick Moynihan quote “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Using statistics & Facts, All from Federal Agencies within the Obama Administration.

    From the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Labor Participation Ration
    January 2009 65.7%
    November 2015 62.6%

    From the US Census Department: American’s in Poverty
    2008 39.82%
    2014 46.65% a 17% Increase

    From the Agriculture Department: American’s on Food Stamps
    January 2009 31.90 Million
    November 2015 45.36 Million a 29.67% Increase

    From the US Census Department: American Home Ownership Rate
    4th Quarter 2008 67.5%
    3rd Quarter 2015 63.7% a 5.3% Decrease

    From the Department of Treasury: US National Debt*
    January 2009 $10.62 Trillion
    November 2016 $18.89 Trillion a 77% Increase During the Obama Administration
    *The Obama will accumulate more debt then Any other US President Combined.

    From the Sentier Home Research:* Median Household Income
    January 2009 $56,957
    November 2015 $56,747 Statistically No Change
    There are 11 US States that have more residents on Welfare then are Working
    *Sentier Research is an Independent (No political affiliation) research group.

    From NBC News Poll: Term ” Diver and Chief ” US Race Relations
    Very Good / Fairly Good 34%
    Very Bad / Fairly Bad 64%. a 20 year Low

    From the National Conference of State Legislatures: Democratic Elected Officials
    11 Governorship’s Lost
    13 US Senate Seats Lost
    69 US House of Representative Seats Lost
    900+ State Legislative Seats Lost Nationally

    As an American first and a Republican second, I feel the Facts are Crystal Clear. We are
    “Celebrating Barack Obama” as well, too bad Our country isn’t.

    Coleman Raffo – Laguna Beach

  2. Well presented Coleman. The proof is in the pudding. The only people celebrating Obama are the ones that have swallowed the Jim Jones Juice that “America is Evil” and feel we should be in a mindset of self-flaggilation.

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